The present invention relates to wafer processing apparatus, to wafer carriers for use in such processing apparatus, and to methods of wafer processing.
Many semiconductor devices are formed by processes performed on a substrate. The substrate typically is a slab of a crystalline material, commonly referred to as a “wafer.” Typically, a wafer is formed by growing a large crystal and slicing the crystal into the shape of a disc. One common process performed on such a wafer is epitaxial growth.
For example, devices formed from compound semiconductors such as III-V semiconductors typically are formed by growing successive layers of the compound semiconductor using metal organic chemical vapor deposition or “MOCVD.” In this process, the wafers are exposed to a combination of gases, typically including a metal organic compound as a source of a group III metal, and also including a source of a group V element which flow over the surface of the wafer while the wafer is maintained at an elevated temperature. Typically, the metal organic compound and group V source are combined with a carrier gas which does not participate appreciably in the reaction as, for example, nitrogen. One example of a III-V semiconductor is gallium nitride, which can be formed by reaction of an organo gallium compound and ammonia on a substrate having a suitable crystal lattice spacing, as for example, a sapphire wafer. Typically, the wafer is maintained at a temperature on the order of 500-1100° C. during deposition of gallium nitride and related compounds.
Composite devices can be fabricated by depositing numerous layers in succession on the surface of the wafer under slightly different reaction conditions, as for example, additions of other group III or group V elements to vary the crystal structure and bandgap of the semiconductor. For example, in a gallium nitride based semiconductor, indium, aluminum or both can be used in varying proportion to vary the bandgap of the semiconductor. Also, p-type or n-type dopants can be added to control the conductivity of each layer. After all of the semiconductor layers have been formed and, typically, after appropriate electric contacts have been applied, the wafer is cut into individual devices. Devices such as light-emitting diodes (“LEDs”), lasers, and other electronic and optoelectronic devices can be fabricated in this way.
In a typical chemical vapor deposition process, numerous wafers are held on a component commonly referred to as a wafer carrier so that a top surface of each wafer is exposed at the top surface of the wafer carrier. The wafer carrier is then placed into a reaction chamber and maintained at the desired temperature while the gas mixture flows over the surface of the wafer carrier. It is important to maintain uniform conditions at all points on the top surfaces of the various wafers on the carrier during the process. Minor variations in composition of the reactive gases and in the temperature of the wafer surfaces cause undesired variations in the properties of the resulting semiconductor devices.
For example, if a gallium indium nitride layer is deposited, variations in wafer surface temperature or concentrations of reactive gasses will cause variations in the composition and bandgap of the deposited layer. Because indium has a relatively high vapor pressure, the deposited layer will have a lower proportion of indium and a greater bandgap in those regions of the wafer where the surface temperature is higher. If the deposited layer is an active, light-emitting layer of an LED structure, the emission wavelength of the LEDs formed from the wafer will also vary. Thus, considerable effort has been devoted in the art heretofore towards maintaining uniform conditions.
One type of CVD apparatus which has been widely accepted in the industry uses a wafer carrier in the form of a large disc with numerous wafer-holding regions, each adapted to hold one wafer. The wafer carrier is releasably supported on a spindle within the reaction chamber so that the top surface of the wafer carrier having the exposed surfaces of the wafers faces upwardly toward a gas distribution element. While the spindle is rotated, the gas is directed downwardly onto the top surface of the wafer carrier and flows across the top surface toward the periphery of the wafer carrier. The used gas is evacuated from the reaction chamber through exhaust ports disposed below the wafer carrier and distributed around the axis of the spindle, typically near the periphery of the chamber.
The wafer carrier is maintained at the desired elevated temperature by heating elements, typically electrical resistive heating elements disposed below the bottom surface of the wafer carrier. These heating elements are maintained at a temperature above the desired temperature of the wafer surfaces, whereas the gas distribution element typically is maintained at a temperature well below the desired reaction temperature so as to prevent premature reaction of the gases. Therefore, heat is transferred from the heating elements to the bottom surface of the wafer carrier and flows upwardly through the wafer carrier to the individual wafers.
As described in certain embodiments of U.S. Pat. No. 6,506,252, the spindle may have a tapered contact surface at its top end, and the wafer carrier may have a tapered contact surface within a recess extending into the wafer carrier from the bottom surface of the wafer carrier. The tapered contact surfaces of the spindle and the wafer carrier are configured to have surface contact therebetween when the wafer carrier is assembled onto the spindle. A centroid of the surface contact between the tapered contact surfaces of the spindle and the wafer carrier is typically located above the center of gravity of the wafer carrier, so that the wafer carrier tends to remain seated on the spindle when the spindle is rotated. The wafer carrier can be removed readily from the spindle and replaced by a new wafer carrier bearing new wafers to be treated.
Design of the components of a CVD reactor can be difficult. Such components have to withstand extreme temperature changes, e.g., between room temperature and 1000° C., they have to be replaceable, manufacturable at a reasonable cost, and non-contaminating to the wafers. Also, it has to be relatively easy for robotic equipment to place the wafer carrier onto the spindle. Although considerable effort has been devoted in the art heretofore to optimization of such systems, still further improvement would be desirable.